Bakers prepare breads, rolls, muffins, pies, pastries, cakes and cookies in retail and wholesale bakeries and dining establishments. They are employed in bakeries, supermarkets, catering companies, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions, or they may be self-employed. Bakers who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

Bakers prepare breads, rolls, muffins, pies, pastries, cakes and cookies in retail and wholesale bakeries and dining establishments. They are employed in bakeries, supermarkets, catering companies, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions, or they may be self-employed. Bakers who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

Click on any of the Essential Skills to view sample workplace tasks for this occupation.

Skill levels are assigned to tasks: Level 1 tasks are the least complex and level 4 or 5 tasks (depending upon the specific skill) are the most complex. Skill levels are associated with workplace tasks and not the workers performing these tasks.

Scroll down the page to get information on career planning, education and training, and employment and volunteer opportunities.

The skill levels represented in the above chart illustrate the full range of sample tasks performed by experienced workers and not individuals preparing for or entering this occupation for the first time.

Note that some occupational profiles do not include all Numeracy and Thinking Essential Skills.

If you would like to print a copy of the chart and sample tasks, click on the "Print Occupational Profile" button at the top of the page.

This information has been adapted from the Government of Canada's Essential Skills Profile for
6252-
Bakers

Read instructions and other text on product labels. For example, read instructions for storing and mixing concentrated colour and flavour extracts. (1)

Read memos and bulletins from within their own organization and from agencies, such as health departments and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, e.g. read memos about upcoming events, new products, allergy alerts and changes to food handling regulations. (2)

Read memos and bulletins from within organizations and from agencies such as health departments and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. For example, read memos about upcoming events, new products, allergy alerts and changes to food handling regulations. (2)

Read instructions in recipes, bakers' sheets and production sheets, e.g. follow instructions in production sheets and recipes to create products, such as gluten-free bread, cookies and specialty seasonal items. (2)

Read website articles and trade magazines to learn about trends, techniques and industry highlights, e.g. read about the food science involved in new flavour blends and suggestions for refreshing fresh fruit desserts. (3)

Estimate the time required to complete baking tasks. You depend on your experience with similar baking tasks to estimate times. Complex decorating and multi-stepped activities, such as developing and placing cake tiers of uncommon shapes, can affect preparation and decoration times. (2)

Bakers rganize their own tasks most of the time. They take direction from managers of bakeries, grocery stores, restaurants and other locations where they work. Bakers in retail locations put their job tasks in order so that they can meet production requirements while dealing with customers by telephone and in person. Job task planning is complicated by the need to coordinate the use of space and equipment with other bakers. (2)

Decide how to modify recipes to suit different circumstances. Use your experience with baking and product substitutions to guide your decisions, e.g. bakers may add lemon juice to tart fillings to decrease the sweetness and enhance flavours. (2)

Choose items for daily and seasonal specials. Consider the latest dining and entertaining trends, the type of fruit that is in season and the amount of time needed to prepare each item. Review past sales statistics and recall what customers have said about specials and seasonal items offered in the past. (2)

Select equipment and suppliers, e.g. head bakers decide which brands and types of ovens to purchase by considering prices, qualities and their personal preferences. (3)

Find that there are not enough baking supplies to complete customers' orders. Pay retail prices at other bakeries and grocery stores until wholesale purchases are delivered. (1)

Find that baked goods do not turn out as expected due to environmental conditions and substandard ingredients. Adjust batch sizes as needed, change ingredients and use alternate equipment, e.g. bakers making bread in hot weather may reduce the amount of yeast to slow rising times. (1)

You are unable to complete orders due to malfunctioning equipment, e.g. bakers find that ovens are burning baked goods. Adjust oven temperatures and use oven thermometers to obtain correct temperature settings as necessary. Call appliance repairers to fix the equipment. Adjust your tasks to minimize the effect on daily productivity. (2)

Encounter customers who do not pick up products they have ordered. Place these products on display as daily specials, sell them at reduced rates to recoup costs and freeze remaining items for later use. (2)

Receive complaints about baked goods from customers. Review customers' specifications and the steps taken to meet them. Sample products to determine if the complaints are justified. If you feel that goods are substandard, you may offer customers free products and discounts on future purchases. (2)

Evaluate the quality of the baked goods produced. Use technical knowledge to assess how flavours combine and enhance each other. Apply established quality control criteria such as acceptable dimensions, finishes, detailing and textures. (2)

Evaluate the quality of baking supplies such as fresh fruit, cream, fillers and chocolates using criteria such as freshness, lack of blemishes, taste, size and texture. (2)

Evaluate the efficiency of baking operations. For example, self-employed bakers and head bakers assess the organization of job tasks and the placement of equipment. They determine how often space and equipment are used, estimate delay times between different tasks and judge the skills of workers. They use their evaluations to modify baking operations. (3)